Engineered fuel feed stock

Abstract

Disclosed are novel engineered fuel feed stocks, feed stocks produced by the described processes, and methods of making the fuel feed stocks. Components derived from processed MSW waste streams can be used to make such feed stocks which are substantially free of glass, metals, grit and noncombustibles. These feed stocks are useful for a variety of purposes including ad gasification and combustion fuels.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of producing an engineered fuel feed stock from a processed waste stream, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) selecting a plurality of components from a processed waste stream which components in combination have chemical molecular characteristics comprising:
 a carbon content of between about 30 wt. % and about 80 wt. %, and 
 a hydrogen content of between about 3 wt. % and about 10 wt. %; and 
 
 b) combining the selected components of step a) to form an engineered fuel feed stock; wherein the engineered fuel feed stock contains biodegradable waste and non-biodegradable waste and is substantially free of glass, metals, grit, and noncombustible waste. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a moisture content of between about 10 wt. % and about 30 wt. %. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a sulfur content of less than about 0.5 wt. %. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a chlorine content of less than about 1 wt. %. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a HHV of between about 5,000 BTU/lb and about 13,000 BTU/lb. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a HHV of between about 7,500 BTU/lb and about 11,000 BTU/lb. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a volatile matter content of about 40 wt. % to about 80 wt. %. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has an ash content of less than about 10 wt. %. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has an H/C ratio of between about 0.025 and about 0.20. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has an O/C ratio of between about 0.01 and about 1.0. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon content is between about 40 wt. % and about 60 wt. %. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processed waste stream is a processed MSW waste stream. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processed waste stream is a processed industrial waste stream. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  further comprising, c) adding other fuel components to the engineered fuel feed stock in step b). 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  further comprising, d) comparing the resulting chemical molecular characteristics of the engineered fuel feed stock of step b) with the chemical molecular characteristics of step a). 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, e) comminuting the engineered fuel feed stock is comminuted. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, f) densifying the engineered fuel feed stock. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the densified engineered fuel feed stock is in the form of a pellet. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock includes fiber and plastic. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock consists essentially of fiber and plastic. 
     
     
       21. A method of producing an engineered fuel feed stock, the method comprising:
 a) receiving a plurality of waste streams; 
 b) inventorying components of the plurality of waste streams based on the chemical molecular characteristics of the components; 
 c) selecting components to have chemical molecular characteristics in combination comprising:
 a carbon content of between about 30 wt. % and about 80 wt. %, and 
 a hydrogen content of between about 3 wt. % and about 10 wt. %; and 
 
 d) combining the components to form the engineered fuel feed stock, 
 wherein the engineered fuel feed stock contains biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials and is substantially free of glass, metals, grit, and noncombustible waste. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a moisture content of between about 10 wt. % and about 30 wt. %. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a sulfur content of less than about 0.5 wt. %. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a chlorine content of less than about 1 wt. %. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a HHV of between about 5,000 BTU/lb and about 13,000 BTU/lb. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a HHV of between about 7,500 BTU/lb and about 11,000 BTU/lb. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has a volatile matter content of about 40 wt. % to about 80 wt. %. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has an ash content of less than 10 wt. %. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has an H/C ratio of between about 0.025 and about 0.20. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock has an O/C ratio of between about 0.01 and about 1.0. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the carbon content is between about 40 wt. % and about 60 wt. %. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the processed waste stream is a processed MSW waste stream. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the processed waste stream is a processed industrial waste stream. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 21  further comprising, e) comparing the chemical molecular characteristics of the inventoried components of the plurality of waste streams of step b) with the selected chemical molecular characteristics of step c). 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 34  further comprising, f) optionally adding additional fuel components to meet the desired chemical molecular characteristics of step c). 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, g) comminuting the engineered fuel feed stock is comminuted. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, h) densifying the engineered fuel feed stock. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 37 , wherein the densified engineered fuel feed stock is in the form of a pellet. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock includes fiber and plastic. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the engineered fuel feed stock consists essentially of fiber and plastic. 
     
     
       41. A method of producing a densified engineered fuel feed stock from a processed waste stream, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) selecting a plurality of components from a processed waste stream, the plurality of components including fiber and plastic, which plurality of components in combination have chemical molecular characteristics comprising:
 a carbon content of between about 40 wt. % and about 60 wt. %, 
 a hydrogen content of between about 3 wt. % and about 10 wt. %, 
 a chlorine content of less than about 1 wt. %, 
 a sulfur content of less than about 0.5 wt. %, 
 an ash content of less than about 10 wt. % 
 a moisture content of between about 5 wt. % and about 20 wt. %, and 
 a HHV of between about 7,500 BTU/lb and about 11,000 BTU/lb; 
 
 b) combining the plurality of components of step a) to form an engineered fuel feed stock; 
 c) densifying the engineered fuel feed stock of step b) to produce the densified engineered fuel feed stock from the processed waste stream, 
 wherein the densified engineered fuel feed stock contains biodegradable waste and non- biodegradable waste and is substantially free of glass, metals, grit, and noncombustible waste.